Woolfelt Fish Coasters

Living by a lake, and having a wonderful new screen porch that looks at the lake, I have been in a fish frame of mind of late.  I wanted to come up with some fish coasters ( made from....???), but needed them to be glass-friendly, not long and thin.  I decided to flip their tail up and then give them some fantasy markings.  I think these would fall into the sunfish family.  These are for a store, but I made another set for the porch.  I hope the room isn't getting too fishy.  Funny how rooms take on a life of their own.  While planning and building the porch, I pinned several porch shots to Pinterest of sunporches that I really loved.  I look back through those photos and see bits and pieces that we used, but our porch decided to be something a bit different, unique.  Life is like that sometimes, too.  You plan, and have a vision, but it isn't always what you thought it would turn out to be.  It usually is so much better!  Jerilynn

Apple Woolfelt Coasters

What a gloomy day.  Still hot and muggy and no sun for a decent shot of my newest coaster set.  I am getting an order ready and thought I would come up with a new variation of an apple design I did last fall.  I think they turned out pretty cute, but I need to work on the sew-out order.  Too many jump stitches for this lazy-trimmer.  This is the last big lake weekend of the year, and probably the last weekend before the front of our house gets torn up.  I am  excited about the new addition-to-be, but realize that things are bound to get messy.  Carl and I made a pact when we put on the big addition a couple of years ago not to get upset about the inevitable snags in the plan.  We agreed to figure out solutions and look at the problems as opportunities to be creative.  Even though a three season screen porch is a minor project, there will be surprises.  I have a long list of things that should have been done yesterday to keep me busy in the studio.  I will supervise from above.  When I think that I need a mental break, I will turn to my simple little Woolfelt coasters that seem to amuse me to no end.  In the meantime, I need to spiff up the house and make a food plan.  Apple pie sounds good. Jerilynn

Detour

I am trying to come up with a Dresden Plate quilt block idea for a class at Sew Complete in Eau Claire, WI.  I have a new rotary ruler, fast2cut Dresden Plate Template created by Anelie Belden.  I have a few ideas that are bouncing around in my head, but, as usual, I took a side road.  I started to think about Woolfelt and then wondered how it would look if I combined the Dresden wedges with some embroidered wedges.  I went to my Bernina V6 and digitized a simple design and wreathed it 10 times.  I also added some straight placement lines for the felt wedges.  After the embroidering, I cut strips of Woolfelt, ironed them to some paper-backed fusible web, cut the wedges out with the template ruler, and ironed them in place.  I decided to blanket stitch around all the edges with my machine rather than digitize the embroidery for them.  I like how this turned out.  I think what I am going to do next is make two more squares,  maybe changing out background colors.  I will stitch them together and make some sort of runner.  This would also look good on a pillow, or on the front of a tote.  Just think of all the possibilities!  Different embroideries and different colors of felt would give a completely different look.  I need to get back to a class idea and stay a bit more focused.  Jerilynn

Snowflake Names

Last Christmas I made my mom one of the Snowflake Name Coasters.  She loved it and asked if I would make one for each of the aides that help her at the nursing home for the 2012 Christmas.  Sure!  It would be an inexpensive, yet personal little gift.  I didn't realize at the time that there is a crew of over 50 that take care of the 29 residents.  That doesn't even include the laundry staff, the kitchen crew, the housekeeping crew or the facilities guys.  I would say that explains the wonderful care she gets.  I am very thankful for these  angels in our lives.  So, I have started the coaster production.  I use the Bernina V6 software to digitize each name, mirror it, wreath it, and sew it out on Woolfelt using Superior Metallic thread in silver.  Forget all the stories you hear about embroidering with metallic thread - this stuff performs without a hitch!  I have 15 done, and the Christmas party is the 14th.  I think I am on track.  I ordered square silver envelopes to put each coaster in, and my mom wants to have me include a little  note in each.  She is pretty excited about this idea.  So, when I tried to find a Christmasy wreath to hang on her room door, I was coming up empty.  The decoration couldn't be too big.  Then, BAM, a great idea hit!  I would embroider a BIG snowflake with her name, Marge, and fasten it to some greenery.  She would have fun telling people to try to find her name, and that would then tie in to their little gift.  Do you see the name Lori in the coaster?  Do you see Marge in the snowflake?  This idea would make really cute snowflake decorations for a tree, don't you think?  I also bought some spray glitter to spray on all of them for extra cheer.  Martha would be proud.  Jerilynn

The Days of Whine and Noses and Coasters for Hot Tea

Sometime last year I mentioned to someone that because I am getting old, I don't get so many colds.  I really shouldn't have said that...I think I have had more colds the last 12 months than I have had the last 12 years.  I am not sure where I picked up this recent doozy...the Oregon Coast?  Deadwood?  County Market in Cumberland, WI?  Hard to say, but this strain knocked me for a loop, and I very generously allowed Carl to share in its fun.  As usual, I had a bunch of stuff I wanted to get done, but mostly just felt like doing computer work, sleeping, reading, and watching tv.  What a life!  While I was in the Comfy Chair (as opposed to The Red Chair), I worked on the digitizing of the shaped Woolfelt coasters.  You may have seen these before, sharp-eyed readers.  All but the pumpkin were designed before, but the sew-out was clunky.  Fine for me, but I plan to package these designs and sell them so others can have some Woolfelt fun.  Since these were going to be going to houses all across America, I wanted the stitch-outs to be smooth and as jump-stitch free as possible.  It is amazing how long it takes even to take these simple designs and make them dollar worthy.  I can see why commercially digitized designs are so pricey!  Hours!  Anyway, they got stitched out today and I declare them good.  Now I need to convert them to popular formats for various machines, burn them to CDs, make an instruction sheet, photograph the coasters in good light (good luck with that one...it's been quite cloudy and rainy), make a cover sheet, and post them for sale on Etsy.  I will give the buyers a choice of a cd or a download.  I may even offer sets for sale.  I am not sure when all this will magically happen.  I am giving a talk to the Eau Claire Sewing Guild tomorrow night.  It will be a trunk show of things I have made along with instruction on some of the construction.  I hope along with the information I do not pass on any major germs.  I think I am getting better, though.  I am thinking Wine rather than Whine.  That is a good thing.  Jerilynn

Practice Safe Furniture Protection

I made two more sets of Woolfelt coasters to go with the guitar coasters.  Ben, the two year-old, loves trucks and cars and used to play with my Woolfelt coasters all the time when he was younger.  So, I thought he was old enough to learn about furniture protection and have coasters of his own.  For Katie?  Some nice flower coasters.  Both redwork designs were from Secrets of Embroidery.  That site has tons of fun designs and lots of rework designs, which I like because they are quick to sew out and don't weigh the Woolfelt down with too much dense stitching.   On the home front, the kitchen is now getting some insulation and some new wiring.  The appliances are on the road being shipped to us as I write, scheduled to be installed May 24.  Cutting the Memorial Day Weekend a bit close, aren't I?  Never a dull moment around here!  Jerilynn

Groovy Guitars Reboot + Woolfelt = Awesome

Robbi Joy Eklow has a fabulous fused applique pattern, Groovy Guitars Reboot.  My friend Sharon showed me one that she had made for her son, and I knew immediately that I had to buy the pattern and make the quilt for my son, too.  You can read about Robbi here and also find out about how to order a pattern of your own.  The same son that will get the guitar wall quilt was also hinting that he does not have any Woolfelt coasters from ME, the queen of Woolfelt coasters!  So, I had this great idea to digitize the outline of some of the guitars on the Groovy Guitars Reboot pattern.  I think they turned out really good - the stitch-out was quite smooth, actually.  I wanted to show you them tonight, but I first thought I better get the approval from the original artist. I shot off an email to Robbi, and she answered me...she loved them (!)  and gave me permission to show them on my blog!  Yay!  I just might have to make another set and send them off to her.  She might not have any Woolfelt coasters, either.  Jerilynn

'Tis the Season...

..of love.  Just don't get me an Open Heart necklace.  Don't know why, I just don't like them.  You may say the same for the new heart coasters.  I made the top one first, and after it was embroidered out, I decided the swirl looked a wee bit like an "O", so I digitized an "L", "V" and "E".  I am not quite sure what style this is...Aztec?  Art Deco?  Cave Man?  You can't see the lettering clearly in the picture, but in person it sparkles a bit - I used silver thread.  The interesting thing about these coasters is that the scalloped edge is stitched with a straight stitch through both the red and black Woolfelt.  Then I cut on the lines (memories of paper doll days!), and then trim the top red layer close to the inner heart stitching.  I used the Bernina V6 software, of course.  I have been sewing lots, getting patterns ready for the spring market.  I will show you just as soon as I can.  Jerilynn

Ordinary Time

Yes, I know I used that post title last January.  I go through a bit of a decompress every year about this time.  After the Christmas hub-bub and all the decorations get put away and the house gets a cleaning and some organization is done - I let out a big sigh and hunker down.  Usually the weather is so cold/snowy/blowy/dreary that hunkering down is survival.  This year, though, the weather has been breaking records, and the sky has been pretty blue.  It is just in my bones, however, to lay low.  I have been doing some digitizing as you can see from the coasters.  The scissors coaster did not turn out.  A redesign is in order.  Carl finished the pantries (yes - three pantries! ) and I spent a day cleaning out the kitchen cupboards and making good use of all the new pantry space.  The cupboards now have breathing room.  They are taking a big sigh, too.  I think the other new basement storage areas will be done in plenty of time for a move here (cabin..house...lake), hopefully in the not too distant future.  I will try to keep in mind how good it feels to have neatness and order and space and bring up memories, not stuff.  Jerilynn  P.S.  Here is a shot of  one of the pantries before I started to add items.  Two more of these are opposite.  Nice.  Carl is amazing.

Prost to the New Year!

Still on the Swiss Army Blanket kick.  Last night I had a dream about designing a Swiss Army Coaster.  I also had a dream about another great idea, but I was too tired to get up and write it down, convinced that I would remember it when I woke up.  Well, when I woke up, I remembered that there were two ideas, the coaster and.....  Should have written it down.  I designed the coaster in Bernina V6 software.  WoolFelt is the fabric, of course.  Quick.  How many do you want?  I hear the Swiss Army may want to order a few thousand for their  mess halls.  Jerilynn

Happy Holly

Hey, Martha!  Look at this!  Remember the maple leaf felt bowl?  My friend, Shirley (the cute one I talked about a few days ago) came up with the idea of turning the leaf into a holly.  So, I did a few attempts and came up with a pretty good looking felt-holly-bowl.  For holly berries, I glued on sparkle red pom-poms.  Bet you didn't know that such a thing as sparkle red pom-poms existed.  I haven't bought any cutely-wrapped Christmas candy to put in the bowl yet.  It is just resting on the stair banister looking perky.  Heart bowls?  Shamrocks?  Easter Eggs?  Lots of bowl ideas.  I will go on a candy hunt to get just the right shape, color, taste, to put in the bowl.  You may drop off candy auditions on the screen porch at the condo. Jerilynn

She's Getting Lazy

Sharp and long-time Jerisew(s) blog readers will recognize the above shot of Christmas coasters from a 2010 post.  I am conserving my energy by posting the old photo, but today I made more new Christmas coasters.  You see, I am in my studio, at the cabin, and all my Christmas decorations are at our condo in a different town.  At some point we are moving to the cabin full-time, but until the condo is sold, I will have items in both places.  How in the world does Oprah handle as many houses as she has?  Does she have duplicate Christmas coasters, too?  This time, however, I used cream colored thread on the tree, holly, and ornament.  I think I like it better than the black.  I think I will use my Bernina V6 digitizing software and make a new design to add to the collection...maybe a pine cone or candy canes.  I am not sure how a candy cane shape will be a good, table-protecting coaster, but that is where the challenge begins!  Jerilynn

What a Cute Little Punkin!

Talk about a cute pincushion! Just the other day I thought I needed another pincushion to add to a little collection I have going and then I remembered this BHG craft I saw. Another fast and easy project. There are two other pincushion pumpkins and I may try another day. I put a couple of small rocks in the bottom, then the poly fluff. The rocks help weight the pumpkin down and now he stands up, ready to help with the pins. The mouth is stitched Woolfelt, but wouldn't a zipper as teeth be adorable?!! Jerilynn

A New Table Topper To-Be

This doesn't look like too much, yet, does it? Since taking this picture, I have fused all the squares onto another piece of woolfelt and am stitching all the pieces together with a decorative stitch and black thread. I am then going to come up with some sort of applique designs on the big dark grey squares. I plan, then to frame it all with narrow strips of woolfelt with a square in each corner. I will keep you posted on the progress and then give you a look at the finished project. I know I said I was going to try to maintain a springy point of view, but this weather is just atrocious. Thank goodness my current sewing room does not have windows - I can sew and work on pattern instructions all day tomorrow and pretend I am missing a glorious day outside. I know a walk in the sunshine would be good for me, but I just have too much to do. Jerilynn

Runners!!!

Great class today! Three students for the Posy Penny Table Runner. One student, a darling new sewer, decide to make the circle version. The other two students have been in classes of mine before and I was happy to see their names on the roster - one even has the name of Penny! Two of the students had some skipping problems when stitching the squares onto the backing. I have used Lite Steam a Seam 2 before, and not had any stitching problems, but last week, during that awful flu/sewing day, I did have some problems. I chalked it up to being off my game that day, but when it happened again today to two more people, I took notice. I have no idea why one sewer didn't have any skips at all, and two did. It must have something to do with the fusible being too steamed/hot or not being fused enough. I will call the company next week and hope to speak to someone in customer service to help me solve this mystery. I have used this product many times, cut off the same bolt of the web. Never before did I have a lick of trouble. We had fun anyway (I think!) and I hope everyone shoots me a picture of the finished runner. It is a simple pattern that can be changed to suit many seasons. Makes me want to jump up off The Red Chair and start a new runner. I have my jammies on, though, and have a nice cozy blanket over my lap. I think I have turned into an old person. Maybe tomorrow I can start something new and try to figure out the fusible mystery. I will let you know when I learn anything. Jerilynn

I Feel Blue Today

Have you noticed the color blue is popping up everywhere? Especially the darker, cobalt. Maybe I am just zeroed in on it, but even Target has some of that out this year. When I first got married, a million years ago, we picked out white ironstone dishes with a cobalt blue band around the edge: Noritake Fjord. Of course they are no longer made, and replacement dishes can be found at a premium. I still am quite fond of the style and color. I would love a covered casserole in that pattern, but they are going for around $100, and I keep thinking I should pass. Anyway, back to blue. I have liked the turquoise blue/orangey red combination for some time now, but this cobalt is starting to call my name. Add that to the turquoise/red mix and it could be pretty. Our first apartment in Chicago was in an old brownstone apartment building and our kitchen had a big window that was by the wooden stairs down to the back alley. With the curtains open, any one going up or down those stairs had a clear view. We had cobalt and white Dresden print curtains, blue and white checked tablecloth, and usually a blue and white pitcher full of daisies (a few bucks a handful at a small stand in the subway) on the table. After living there a while, an elderly lady stopped me in the hall and said "I love your blue and white kitchen!" I had never seen her before and it took me a while before I figured out how she had seen our kitchen! Throughout the years, red gradually took over my go-to decorating color, but I guess that bright blue never left. I am thinking it should be a part of the new cabin addition's decor in some way. I know, dear blog readers, that I said I wouldn't keep showing you stitched items, but in my sleep last night I designed circle stitchery that was then cut in fourths and sewn back together. So, I had to try that today on the blue woolfelt. Not so sure I like the little coaster (gasp!) but I like the bigger arrangement of the other arcs. Just in case you want to know what the Noritake Fjord dish pattern looks like, I decided to include in the shot the cream pitcher. Jerilynn

The Flu Flew In

Yes, I caught the flu. So did son Peter, daughter-in-law Katie, and grandson Ben. Husband Carl is still healthy, but staying a good distance away. I feel I may just live today, and must be feeling lots better because I keep thinking of things that I want to do. First on my list is to clean and organize the sewing room. After this last week's rush to get things done, it is a battle zone. Yesterday was the last day and three bags had to get the final touches. And, yes, I was ill the whole day. Work a little, sleep a lot. Repeat. Somehow everything got done, and I survived to tell the story. The top picture is of circular embroidery on woolfelt, of course. People, march right now to your sewing machine store and buy a circular stitching attachment. Legally supper fun. The bottom picture was taken today by Carl at the cabin. I was still too under the weather to take a ride up there. He climbed a ladder to take a shot of the third story roof. For those of you who have been to our place, the little cottage way down below is Robert and Angie's. Whoa, we are high! Next week we are expecting another big snow storm, of course, so I think Joe the builder will move indoors and start on interior walls. Plumbing fixture will need to arrive so that walls can be built around them. Flooring is ordered. Other than the flu, things are good. Jerilynn

More Hearts on Woolfelt

This sampler was, again, made in Bernina V6 software. I used the heart vector image from Corel in Art Canvas and filled it with different fills in the Embroidery screen. The first coaster I made I stitched it out on Tiffany Blue, but there is something about red and hearts that is just a great combination. I have three coasters stitched out and need to do one more for a set. Let me know if you need a last minute V-Day gift or two! Carl has been putting in long days putting in a new kitchen at Peter and Katie's house. He says it is looking mighty good! The timing was perfect for his help. The cabin addition is not quite at the point that he can start doing the interior work, so this side job is keeping him out of trouble. I have been sewing for a few days at a neighbor's house, which is keeping me out of trouble, too! I need to do some more stuff for my folks, so I should spend a little time tomorrow and this weekend getting more things done. The designing and watching the stitch-out is a welcome diversion. Jerilynn

What We Love

This coaster was a breeze to make. The letters are from the built-in fonts in Bernina V6, and the heart was made using the heart vector drawing tool in Corel (also part of the V6). Add a couple of borders to make the coaster look more like a Valentine, and...time to stitch. If any of you would like to have this design, let me know and I will get it to you in plenty of time to stitch out a Valentine of your own! If you don't have an embroidery machine, yet really want one, also let me know....I just may be able to make one for you. Two? That will cost you. Benjamin's last night is tonight. His folks get in really late and coming straight here. I have already been informed that Katie hopes he wakes up when they go into the room he is sleeping in. The first time away is always the hardest. Carl and I love it now when we can get away without any of the kids! Oh, wait, they don't live with us. We always are without the kids. LOVE it! (But, we really love them, too!) Jerilynn

Can You Tell This is Supposed to be a Bobbin?

I have been trying to come up with a series of sewing related coasters, not sewn with an embroidery machine, but just with a regular sewing machine. This is one of the first attempts at a bobbin coaster. I like it, but there are some changes I want to make. I want the "thread stack" on the bobbin to be flipped topped to bottom. I think I need "holes" in the bottom part of the bobbin. Stitching needs to be more even. Although, there is a bit of a funky look to this. A bit primitive and free-form, maybe. I will give it another try and see what I can come up with. I also figured out a zipper solution today. It worked as a small sample...hopefully when I do a real project, full-sized, it will still be good. Another day with Benjamin. He was a very good boy today. Only cried when we took him out of the bathtub. He really likes those baths! I hope this summer is nice and hot so he can go in the water at the cabin. Our shore is pretty shallow and clear. We haven't been up there much this winter. Obviously things around here are a bit busy and intense. We know, however, that we have walls on the third level, which is the sewing studio. Trusses arrived yesterday, so we shall soon be enclosed. With all that has been happening around here, it has taken my thoughts away from the Cabin Project. How wonderful it will be when we can go up for a night or two to see the progress! Jerilynn